The Stewardess: Scene Continuation
by Zeng Li
Summary: Captain Stanley is injured in the last scene of "The Stewardess" (season 5), but the episode didn't elaborate on the details. So, in my series of continuing scenes and filling in details not shown in episodes, here's my take on the rest of the scene and ultimately how our beloved captain is faring after his harrowing experience.
**Scene Continuation: "The Stewardess"**

 _By: Zeng Li_

 _Based on the characters and 'world' of the 1970s TV series "Emergency!"_

 _Takes place starting near the end of the last fire scene of "The Stewardess" from season 5, episode 1. Part of the episode scene is incorporated into the writing. This is part of my series inspired by Emergency! fans who like to see scene continuations that fill in unanswered questions or unresolved situations at the ends of episodes._

The explosion came from behind. Self-preservation instinct drove Captain Stanley to leap from the middle of the staircase into the cover of fire suppressant foam laid down by the men from 8's. Nothing cushioned his fall. He avoided the unseen fireball and debris behind him but was met with a moment of blinding pain upon landing on the unforgiving concrete beneath the foam.

Hank drew his arms to his chest to absorb the landing, which only jammed his fists into his gut. The wind momentary knocked out of him, he tried to clear his head and assess the situation and make sense of the various voices calling behind him. The veteran firefighter stayed within the safety of the foam while the fireball churning above could burn itself to extinction and his trusted men could discern when to make the move in to rescue him.

The voices of Roy and Johnny calling drew nearer. "Down here!" Hank shouted over the noise of fire, water, and colleagues. He hadn't fully caught his breath yet.

"Found him!" Roy DeSoto shouted to his trailing partner. The senior paramedic reached one arm around the captain's back and another under the man's elbow to lift him up.

The captain stood up, accepting his man's assistance. He stumbled when trying to stand on the painful leg, leaning more heavily on his rescuer than intended.

"My leg… I think it's broken," the captain groaned, shifting awkwardly to throw an arm over Roy's shoulder for much needed support.

"Your leg?" Roy easily accepted the burden and walked his captain back the way they'd come. His partner, John Gage, lent the captain a hand on the other side. "Okay, I got him," Roy said, allowing Johnny to shift his attention to completing the closure of the shut-off valve that Captain Stanley had not fully secured.

Chet Kelly and Marco Lopez manned a hose aimed at them, a curtain flow protecting the advancing rescue and Johnny while the overhead pipe continued to spew flame. Johnny squinted and kept his head down to allow his helmet to deflect the water from getting in his eyes. He gave the valve the last few turns to complete the shut off and extinguish the jet of fire.

Roy, meanwhile, helped the captain limp past 51's and 8's men towards safety outdoors. Hank leaned his hands on a railing to hop down a few access stairs, and once down, Roy was right back at his side supporting him by the arm. "Over here," Roy said as Johnny caught up to them and assisted seating the captain down at the nearest safe spot.

Hank dropped heavily from shock and exhaustion, his men falling into place on either side of him.

Johnny stripped off his foam-soaked gloves. He put a steadying hand on Hank's back. "There you go. Let's have a look at you, Cap."

Hank heaved a tension-clearing sigh and threw his helmet down, dislodging a good amount of foam from it. "Man! That's one way of getting clean!" he said, staring off in a slight daze, still a bit shocked from the noise of the chemical blast and the painful fall. The paramedics flanking him stole a brief smile but never paused in their efforts to tend to their fallen leader.

Johnny reached for the captain's left pant leg, and Hank winced as his hands reached down to guard his painful leg. To his right, Roy was already fumbling to undo the closures of the captain's turnout coat.

Mike Stoker caught the captain's eye. He knew from the look on Hank's face that he'd be in charge of 51 for the rest of the incident. He didn't let his concern for the senior officer impede his management of the job at hand.

"Is it your knee?" Johnny asked, regaining Hank's distracted attention. He had the pant leg pulled up high enough to expose the bruised joint.

With a heavy groan, the captain nodded and reached down to the site of pain, instinctually wanting to guard the injury. Johnny palpated the leg above and below the knee, checking for evidence of fractures or additional tenderness. A nasty welt was expanding over the outside of his superior's knee, and he carefully checked for crepitus.

"Easy, Gage!" Hank winced, pulling slightly away to guard the sore spot. "Damn!"

"All right… You're gonna be okay, Cap. Did you twist it, or did you hit it on something?" Johnny withdrew his hand, satisfied there was no evidence of displaced bones but still concerned over the sensitivity to pain.

"I whacked it on the edge of the concrete landing," the captain winced, probing the sore spot himself. It was already slightly swollen and discolored.

"I'll go hold the ambulance and get our gear," Roy stood up, brushing residual foam off his pants. "We're gonna splint that leg, yeah?"

"Yeah, a board splint is fine. Have them bring the gurney over here. I don't think it's fractured, but let's immobilize it as a precaution," Johnny assured his superior with a pat on the back as Roy hurried off to intercept the Mayfair ambulance before it left with the non-critical burn victim.

The ambulance attendants followed Roy, who stopped off at the squad to collect equipment boxes from its storage bays. The senior paramedic pushed Hank's dropped helmet aside and set the gear up around them. He set the stethoscope around his neck and strapped the BP cuff around the captain's arm.

"Are we calling this in, Johnny?" Roy asked, starting to take a blood pressure reading and pulse.

Gage waited for his partner to finish taking vitals. "Probably not. If we call it in and get Morton, you know he'll have us start a pointless IV," he told his partner.

Roy unstrapped the cuff. "He's stable. Vitals are normal." He lifted his penlight and checked the captain's pupillary reaction despite some subtle protest from his very alert patient. "How do you feel, Cap?"

Hank shrugged, absently rubbing his belly where his arms rammed him. "My ears are still ringing, but it could be worse. My knee hurts pretty bad."

Johnny dug through their trauma kit and retrieved an endothermic pack and a roll of Kerlix. He punched the plastic pack to break open the ampule inside, shaking the fluids to make it cold throughout.

"All right, Cap," he said. "This'll help reduce swelling and numb some of the pain before we get to the hospital." He placed the cold pack against the growing bruise and wrapped Kerlix around it to hold it in place, careful not to wrap it too tight. "You okay?" Johnny looked up, and the captain nodded.

"We'll radio Rampart en route to let them know we're coming in. Neither patient is in distress." Roy slid the biophone out of the way and motioned to the Mayfair crew to bring the gurney closer. He helped position the long board splint around Hank's leg while his partner strapped it in place.

Johnny moved the folded blanket off the gurney and raised the head end slightly. "All right, Cap, we're gonna get you up, okay?" he added. "Don't put any weight on that leg. Let us do the work."

Captain Stanley draped his arm over Gage's shoulders while Roy firmly supported his other arm. All he had to do was pivot and let his men ease him down onto the waiting gurney. Johnny fussed with the splinted leg to make sure the cold pack was still held in place over the bruise without being too tight or too slack.

The other engine companies weren't paying attention to the rescue, much to Hank's self-conscious relief. He couldn't pick out Marco and Chet in the crowd of tan coats and black helmets. He'd passed by them on his way out, and surely his men were wondering if he was okay. They'd have to find out later. He looked beyond his feet to watch the movement of men and hoses as the scene retreated from view and he was lifted into the ambulance.

"I'll ride in with them. We'll go in non-Code-R. I'll keep Cap's vitals monitored." Roy climbed in and assisted with the head end of the gurney. The other victim with minor burns to his hands slid aside on the bench seat to allow the paramedic some more room. Roy pushed the talk button on the portable radio. "County, Squad 51 en route to Rampart with two non-critical victims. One is Code-I. ETA 10 minutes."

Johnny loaded their equipment and biophone into the ambulance. "Take it easy, Cap," he said, looking at the rueful expression in his superior's eyes. "I'll be right behind in the squad, Roy."

Hank weakly waved a hand and put his head back, closing his eyes as Johnny shut the doors and gave the obligatory hand slap before walking off.

As the ambulance slowly accelerated, the captain closed his eyes, wishing the whole situation away. His attempt to block out the world was interrupted as Roy positioned a nasal cannula on him. "Just a little oxygen as a precaution," Roy said leaning over him, giving him an assuring smile.

Captain Stanley lifted an arm and draped it over his eyes. Roy didn't attempt conversation. After all, he knew Hank well and let the man attempt to distance himself from reality for the easy ride in.

[[ . . . ]]

At Rampart Emergency, Gage and DeSoto stayed around as long as they could get away with. They, like the doctors, wouldn't know anything definitive until x-rays could be taken to determine if Captain Stanley's knee injury was anything beyond the evident nasty bruise. Either way, the captain would not be returning for the remainder of the day's shift.

Engine 51 remained out a half hour longer for overhaul before returning to quarters. The mood in the station was somber, the others tense with concern over their fallen superior and the lack of information.

"Lighten up," Johnny said cheerfully, heading straight for the coffee maker on the counter. "He's gonna be all right."

"Good job, everyone," said Mike Stoker from his customary seat at the kitchen table.

Chet and Marco had been advised generalities of Hank's situation. They trusted that, in time, he'd be fine. The lack of specifics gnawed at them as well.

"You know who's most likely coming in to replace him," Chet finally said plainly.

"Probably Hochrader," Johnny's optimistic voice switched to a flat grumble.

Marco and Chet hissed sighs. "Hell," said Chet. "I gotta remember one thing: whenever the Cap gets injured on the job, put in for vacation…"

Marco thought for a moment. "All I could see was the fireball from where we were," he said. "I hope he's okay."

Johnny folder his arms and slouched, losing interest in the bitter drink. "I hope we get a run. In fact, I hope we're out on runs all day just so I don't have to deal with Hook."

"How do you know we're getting Hochrader?" Roy cut in.

"How do I…?" Johnny turned to his partner, his face lighting up and hands posturing as he got riled up. "Because we _always_ get Hochrader! It's been over a month since I had to hear him tell me I missed a spot waxing the squad. Because I got nothing better to do than erase the fingerprints that he himself probably puts on the windshield, not that it matters once the tones drop. Because…"

"All right!" Roy raised a hand between them to cut him off. "Sorry I asked."

Chet leaned on the table. "Well if you two are so worried about dealing with Captain Hook, then why aren't you out there scrubbing the squad or buffing the floor before he arrives and gets on your ass about it?"

Mike Stoker retreated to the safety of the captain's office to complete the run report, leaving the underlings to decide whether or not the squabble further.

No one had much of anything to say, fearing that conversation would be interrupted by the station tones dropping or Hochrader arriving and catching them doing nothing. The only sound any of them wanted to hear was the ring of the telephone with Rampart calling to report their captain's condition.

After allowing the men to rest a while and decompress from the whole incident, Mike set Marco and Chet to hanging hose out back. Roy and Johnny would have helped had they not gotten dispatched on a call which, two miles from the station got cancelled. Closer to Rampart than the station, the paramedics decided to swing by the hospital and try to get information instead of waiting in agony over a silent telephone or having to help hang hose.

"We already restocked when we brought him in," Roy cautioned. "We gotta keep this brief."

"Come on," said Johnny. "The suspense is killing everyone at the station."

"Where is he?" Roy stopped Dixie as she almost walked by without noticing them.

"Three," she said, flashing a smile. "Don't worry. From what I heard he's gonna be just fine."

Johnny didn't say a word and moved towards treatment room three. Roy smiled and nodded a silent thanks to the head nurse before following.

Captain Stanley was sitting up on the exam table with his legs over the side. His uniform was draped over the end of the table, and he was dressed in the obligatory hospital gown. He looked up at his visitors.

"Couldn't stay away?" he asked.

"You all right, Cap?" Johnny asked, walking closer to him to see beyond Dr. Brackett who was tending to the man's left leg.

Hank shrugged, letting Johnny see for himself. Roy crowded in behind his partner to have a look.

"There's not much we can do for it. It just needs time to heal," said Dr. Brackett, carefully binding the captain's knee in supportive elastic bandages. "Nothing's broken, but he's got a nasty contusion. He'll have to stay off of it for a week or so."

Hank looked apologetically at his men. Johnny's shoulders slumped as he stuffed his hands in his front pockets. "So this means we're getting Hochrader, doesn't it?"

"I have no idea," said the captain.

Roy's hand gently squeezed his partner's shoulder. "It'll be all right. Maybe just a shift or two. The good news is Captain Stanley won't be out for too long, right, Doc?"

Kel Brackett straightened up, holding the man's ankle to keep the leg supported since the knee couldn't fully bend or straighten with layers of bandages partially immobilizing it. "Lay back down, Hank," he guided the captain's leg and propping it up on the folded blankets previously set up to allow the leg to be elevated. He turned to the paramedics. "It's hard to say. The bruise will likely deepen over the next 24 hours. We'd like to keep him overnight and on medication to prevent a blood clot."

Captain Stanley looked ruefully at the younger men. Roy nodded slowly. "We'll tell the guys," he said somberly. "Thanks, Doc."

"Feel better, Cap," Johnny clapped the man's forearm.

"Thanks, guys," said Hank. "I'm sorry, you know."

"Not your fault," Roy said, elbowing in next to Johnny. He lightly touched the captain's hand. "We'll be okay, Hook or no Hook. Just take care of yourself and get better."

"Yeah…" Hank sighed.

"Rest for a few minutes, and we'll get you moved upstairs to a room," said Dr. Brackett. "You'll go home in the morning with crutches and at-home care instructions." He turned to the visitors. "Cheer up, you two. He's gonna be fine."

"Of course he'll be fine…" said Johnny. "He's not the one who's got to put up with Captain Hook. Hey, Doc…" Gage tailed Brackett closely out of the treatment room. "How's about you get some x-rays out from my file and find a reason to keep me off duty for the next week or two. I'll let you put my leg back in a cast, or tell them I reinjured my shoulder. Got anyone around here with a highly contagious stomach flu? Anything, just keep me from having to deal with Hochrader…"

Roy rolled his eyes and stayed at the captain's side as his partner pestered the doctor down the hallway. "I guess I better keep tight reins on him so he doesn't do something stupid and hurt himself for real."

The captain laughed despite the fist of pain in the side of his knee. "Good idea."

"Hey, we gotta get back to the station. I'll tell the guys. Take it easy, Cap." Roy headed out to corral Johnny Gage before desperation consumed him. With a little luck, they'd return to the station and find a more likeable captain taking Hank's place for the next week or two. Roy's primary goal for the moment was preventing Johnny from winding up becoming a roommate at Rampart with Captain Stanley.

[[ THE END ]]

NOTES:

Captain Stanley's leg injury is never specified in "The Stewardess". When they leave the station (time out 08:12), Johnny was in the middle of telling Roy about his flubbed rendez-vous with the stewardess. After the fire segment, they are back at the station and Johnny finishes the story. Off camera, we hear Captain Stanley tell Johnny a phone call is for him, so is seems Hank is at the station. We just don't know if he's well enough to be back on duty, or if he's off duty and waiting for a ride home. Since it's likely a continuity error or oversight, I've opted to bend the rules for my own version of scene continuation and admit him overnight at Rampart. I'm taking the bit with his voice being heard at the station as a writer's mistake.

The decision to not call Rampart on the biophone is valid since they only call in when needing authorization for certain treatments such as administering drugs, starting an IV, etc. Neither victim is distressed or unstable, so therefore calling in is not necessary.


End file.
